A Risky Profession

Published: Friday, April 07, 2000

THE INJURIES SUFFERED by Lubbock Police Officer Adam Gutierrez last week brought the sobering reminder that serving and protecting the public can be dangerous work. And there are far more on-the-job risks than bullets from bad guys.

Mr. Gutierrez was severely injured when he was struck on the right side of his body by a pickup truck that was driven by a woman who was later charged with being intoxicated at the time of the accident.

At the time he was hit by the truck, Mr. Gutierrez was engaged in one of the most routine forms of police work -- directing traffic.

While he was helping to get cars out of the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum parking lot following the ABC Pro Rodeo, the pickup truck, going east on Fourth Street, struck the police officer after reportedly running a red light at Fourth Street and Boston Avenue.

Mr. Gutierrez's injuries were serious but not life-threatening. But he had an extremely close call, as we see it. A slight variation in the circumstances of the accident could have ended his life.

The accident points both to the unacceptable recklessness of driving while intoxicated and to the sometimes risky nature of the job of peace officer.

Both police and firefighters endure long stretches of routine work on the job punctuated by occasional moments of hair-raising jeopardy. And all for a relatively modest paycheck.

They are always out there for us, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The accident suffered by Mr. Gutierrez is a grim reminder of the risks they take to be there. We should pause and reflect upon just how much we are in their debt.